In a game filled with controversial decisions from the more than incompetent ref Paul Marks, Epi Taione had a moment of absolute stupidity when he lost the plot by head butting a Hurricanes player. The contact wasn't huge, despite hitting the 'Canes player on the chin by launching himself in his direction.

To play for the (Natal) Sharks, unbeaten in the Super 14 so far this season, should be an honour, but the Tongan import let everybody down on Saturday. His ridiculous attack on Hurricanes lock Jeremy Thrush earned him an automatic red, one of the few things the ref did get correct on the night.

Sharks coach Dick Muir claimed have missed the blatant head-butt, but assistant coach John Plumtree was more realistic. It was a fair enough decision. I think he was just over-excited,.

Taione had been playing in Japan recently, but before that was playing for Newcastle in the UK, then the Sale Sharks in 2006. Taione didn't stick around too long though, after having been banned for six weeks for a shameful biting incident.

Highly disappointing from a player with such huge potential, this latest misdemeanour should see Taione banned for at least a month, meaning he'll miss the overseas leg of the tour. In all honesty, don't be surprised if you don't see him in a Sharks jersey again.

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"Taione left the midlands side"... Sale play in Stockport. Stockport is only about 10 miles outside of Manchester.There is no way that it's in the Midlands. Is definately North West and most probably Lancashire.Unless i misunderstood the description, and as such now look like an idiot

He's been suspended for biting people... Headbutting people... what comes next next out there with some hedge clippers castrating other players? I'm all about giving players a second chance but this is the second major malicious infringement... does he really deserve a third chance?

"assistant coach John Plumtree was more realistic. It was a fair enough decision. I think he was just over-excited,." yeh...or he was just a dumbass!There was totally no need, the ball was won, and there was a slow drive on, the Canes player was totally legal and it was the most blatant head butt ever! A moment of severe stupidity to a man that has a reputation, i cant see him going far too far with stupid play!

Hes clearly got mental issues, he nearly bit denis leamys ear off and now he just runs into a maul (when the ball and maybe the game was safe) and headbutts the Hurricanes 2nd row.Should he still be allowed to play? Because banning him doesnt seem to have made any difference

Ya he was on for a little while...and he made two good runs gaining 20-30 yards on each run...he's a good rugby player but ultimatley useless in this sport with his mental inadequicies...I have no time for idiots like this...I'm an Shark supported through and through and you could argue he lost us that game by neutralising the yellow against the canes literally seconds before...Let this be a lesson to coaches looking to employ players with a bad history...now we run the risk of burning out one of our flankers because Taione will undoubtedly and deservedly miss the rest of the tournament and and we cannot sub the players with him...Hope we drop the idiot...durrie.

The Biting Incident wasn't on denis lemys ear it was on his fingers, which lemy had put it his mouth to pull him out the way which is why he bit him. Lemy himself got banned for instigating the incident and for fish hooking taione. Which is why i personaly think taione is unfairly victimised over the biting incident, if your stuck at the bottom of a ruck and someone fish hooks you i imagine a fair few people would bite down to stop it. But yes that headbutt was a discrace.

The head is a weapon which must be used! I reqularly run head first into rucks - thats what headguards are made for!:)I dont think what Epi did was that dangerous really. Like his coach said, he just got abit over-excited. All he had to do was lean his head to one side at the last moment and smash the guy with his shoulder and it would have been perfectly legal, and probably hurt the guy just as much. A high tackle is much more dangerous- when the guy is clothes-lined at full tilt. Having said that it was still reckless and silly. But its a confrontational game and he just went about exerting his physicality in the wrong way.

Apparently he was trying to clear the maul and didn't intend to headbutt the player. I guess I can sorta see what he means and in that case I feel sorry for the guy. He was just getting stuck in the way he should and was being careless! poor bloke, hope we see him in the premiership next season :)

hmmm awesomeno7, i must say i do tend to run into a ruck with my head down, but this is just blatant stupidity, whether it was actually dangerous in this instance is debateable but the fact of the matter is that in the rules if you headbutt someone its a red...(obviously this is bent slightly in a few circumstances...Henderson in the 6 nations) but here we see him flying in and trying to cause damage when there was clearly no need.